


Vault 132, Population: One

by doesnotloveyou



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout Shelter (Video Game), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Diary/Journal, Epistolary, Gen, Hispanic Character, My First Work in This Fandom, Survival
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:22:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29067972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doesnotloveyou/pseuds/doesnotloveyou
Summary: "The reactor is, so far, not on floor one or two. Since I haven’t yet suffocated in my sleep that means it’s active enough to keep the ventilation running. Once I’ve got some kind of plan on how to get out of here if the elevators go bust, I’ll risk exploring the next level down. Not my first vault, not my worst vault, so...here goes nothing."Zena has been scavenging since she was a kid, but feels it's finally time to put down roots. In the post-war landscape, with so much free real estate to choose from, she's got herself a "not haunted" vault and enough mechanical knowledge under her belt to get it running again. Big picture? Make it a shelter again for other lost souls of the wasteland. As long as nothing is already living there, that is...
Kudos: 2





	Vault 132, Population: One

—Vault 132, Day 3—

The lights in this dorm keep flickering, so this entry might be short.

Found this journal on a shelf in the other dorm, only the first couple pages were used. I tore them out and tucked them in the back so I don’t get confused next time I open this. They’re by some pre-war girl, I think, named Dorothy. She only wrote about her first two days in here, so I’m starting on Day 3 for her sake. I’ve actually been here about a day and a half, but I scoped the place out twice before that, so…three days it is, Dorothy.

I’m Zenaida, by the way. That’s a pre-war name too. Belonged to my great-great-great-great and then some grandmother. That’s what Mom told me anyway, but it also says “Zena” on this old locket with my long gone _abuela’s_ photo in it. Belonged originally to g-g-g-g-and-then-some grandpa, whose name none of us knew.

Sorry for the history lesson, but if the wasteland—or this vault—kills me tomorrow, I’d like to know I recorded this somewhere. Once I get into one of these terminals, I’ll record it there too. Maybe I’m not important, but I am bored.

Okay, a door just opened by itself down the hall. Time to see if the wiring is faulty or if I’ve won myself on of them haunted vaults. Wish me luck.

—Vault 132, Day 4—

Good news! The vault is haunted. No, just kidding, there’s a minor electrical issue that is affecting the entire vault. I rely on elevators and sliding metal doors to get around in here, and when the lights go out like they did yesterday I realize I’m about a hundred feet underground in a steel tomb with a crappy, jury-rigged flashlight and a fear of sudden drops because of this stupid story I read once, but it’s fine. No big deal.

The reactor is, so far, not on floor one or two. Since I haven’t yet suffocated in my sleep that means it’s active enough to keep the ventilation running. Once I’ve got some kind of plan on how to get out of here if the elevators go bust, I’ll risk exploring the next level down. Not my first vault, not my worst vault, so stop stressing out.

Oh, the plumbing also works fine so, yay, toilets. Water’s got rads, but I can get a purifier rigged east. These places always have useful parts lying around.

—Vault 132, Day 5—

Power hasn’t acted up since yesterday, so I went ahead and explored level three. Found the diner and rec area strangely intact. And still no skeletons. Pantries are empty, but the walk-in freezer is sealed tight. Miiight be full of untouched food, miiight be full of skeletons. You, never know with these vaults. Work for another day, and until then I have a stove top and cookware, and a rack of pool cues to crafts tools from as I need them. The table itself I can use as a barrier if something on a lower level tries to come up. If it weren’t so heavy I‘d jam it into the elevator and take it to the first floor. There are two doors up there that lead to the main atrium. I _don’t_ like that in case someone (mutants) decides to move in with me (mutants). I hate messing with explosives, but I installed a tripwire and my one grenade on the stairs leading down from the left door as you enter. It might stop some petty raiders, but a little more discouragement would be nice. I don’t know what to do about door two. More work for another day.

I found a single box of Blamco that fell between a counter and the wall, so I’m in for a sure meal tonight. Getting sick of gecko.

—Vault 132, Day 6—

Mine! Mine, mine, mine!

Power stayed on so I went down to level four, which is more dorms and the doctor’s office—big surgery center, not sure how to take that—and in one of the dorm lockers was a Pip-boy!

_A Pip-boy._

It’s practically new too, and as I soon as I connected it to a battery it powered right on. Never been so happy to see that cheeky Vault Boy face. Six vaults I’ve scrounged in and finally a Pip-boy.

Strapped on, it feels kinda weird, and I can’t write with it on my right wrist, and I just know I’ll smack myself in the face with it if I try to sleep with it on, but oh well, oh well. This is my new baby, and I will get so much use out of it. Maybe record on some of those blank holotapes I stashed back in Tecopa—that is if Mahjid hasn’t reclaimed my hut and rented it out to caravaneers…or been run out by radscorpions.

Oh, I did have to take on a next of giant rats on floor four. Gave Bonetopick something to do, and I laid them out in the big surgery center for butchering. Six in all, bigger ‘n cats and smaller ‘n dogs. I’ll get the freezer open and store them in there (with the skeletons), and toss the bones outside. That’ll attract small predators like coyotes and geckos, and they’ll scare the bigger ones (people) away. Never seen a deathclaw attracted to rat bones anyway. Long as I don’t get scorps.

—Vault 132, Day 9—

Freezer is unlatched, has been this whole time, but that ain’t the problem.

It’s frozen shut. I got it to budge just a smidge yesterday, and the inside of the door frame was so cold I felt I’d been burned. Genuinely thought I’d maybe been electrocuted. Never felt anything that cold. I’ve heard of ice, and sometimes up north we’d get frost, but you had to get up before sun-up to see it. Damn. I guess the reactor is hooked up there just fine. Will have to apply heat somehow to unstick the door. Just frustrated I’ve been picked an open lock for three days. Moron.

—Vault 132 Day 10—

Found parts in the surgery center to purify the tap water here. Set them aside before butchering the rats. So that’s food and water t hold me over until I get the freezer open and find the vault’s purifier. Bloody nasty work, ugh. Got used to Jenna always cleaning my kills.

Mm. Door upstairs slammed shut again. That’s really getting to me. I’ll pop the panel and disconnect it before going to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote chapter one while my own power was out. Didn't plan it at all, but have more chapters in mind. Wanted to post even if it isn't finished, so here ya are.
> 
> Will alter ratings and warnings as the story develops, so keep an eye on those if you have triggers or just want to avoid some stuff.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


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